Something Swamiji Said

by Two Sadhakas

(This column honors Swami Veda’s many years of teaching us. We had hoped to have it every month until Swamiji takes to a vow of silence 10th March 2013, but to do this, we must hear from you. If you have enjoyed this column and have heard Something Swamiji Said that made an impression on your life, please write to us at http://www.ahymsin.org/main/index.php/Contact-Us/AHYMSIN-Office.html. )

The very first time I heard Swami Veda speak - it was January 2000, the adhyatma retreat on the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras – he said: "If, on the day you die, you have as much love in your eyes as on the day you were born, I would say you have not regressed". He repeated it again to drive it home, speaking slowly and deliberately.

I remembered a photo of myself as a five year old, with bright shining eyes, and was painfully aware of how dull I felt my eyes were as I was sitting, that evening, in Sadhana Mandir. I felt I could hardly even remember the last time I had felt my eyes shine... It still echoes in my mind, and I am so grateful not only for the light that has come back into my own eyes, but also for having seen some of it in the eyes of yoga students. I have not yet reached the level of light that I had as a child, but at least the direction has been reversed...

- Sonia van Nispen

Swamiji is Swamiji and every word He utters i take to heart. One of my favourites is during the Shiv Sutras Camp he explained what Smer Smer Stimittam meant- Smile, Smile which touches one's face after deep understanding of Stillness- he said, “Shirin, now with Smer Smer you must learn Stimittam!” So here i keep trying to practice Stimittam!

Editor’s Note:

For many years, Swami Veda has been teaching and speaking to/with us, and now we honor him by sharing some of what we have learned or are learning. What is the Something Swamiji Said that impacted your life?

There is no set length. It can be short or it can be long. It can be a sentence, a paragraph, an article. It can have pictures and photos. It can be prose and/or poetry.